Derek Shackleton
Derek Shackleton
Born: 12 August 1924, Todmorden, Yorkshire
Major Teams: Hampshire, Dorset, England.
Known As: Derek Shackleton
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Medium
Test Debut: England v West Indies at Nottingham, 3rd Test, 1950
Last Test: England v West Indies at The Oval, 5th Test, 1963
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1959
Career Statistics:
TESTS
(career)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 7 13 7 113 42 18.83 0 0 1 0
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 346.2 96 768 18 42.66 4-72 0 0 115.4 2.21
FIRST-CLASS
(career: 1948 - 1969)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 647 852 197 9574 87* 14.61 0 20 221 0
Balls R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 158856 53303 2857 18.65 9-30 194 38 55.6 2.01
LIST A LIMITED OVERS
(career: 1964 - 1973)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 37 17 9 104 22 13.00 0 0 9 0
Balls R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling 2070 872 41 21.26 4-11 1 0 50.4 2.52
- Explanations of First-Class and List A status courtesy of the ACS.
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Profile:
A model of consistency, accuracy and endurance, Derek Shackleton
plied his trade for Hampshire for 21 seasons - perhaps only
Wilfred Rhodes and Fred Titmus bowled more ball in first-class
cricket, and they were spinners, . John Arlott described his
bowling as "shrewdly varied, and utterly accurateŠ beating down
as unremittingly as February rain". He took more than 100 wickets
in 20 consecutive seasons, and his career average dropped season
by season. One of the most respected bowlers of his generation,
his domestic record was superb, 2857 wickets at an average of
18.65, conceding just over 2 runs per over. He was unfortunate to
play but seven Tests in two series separated by more than a
decade - perhaps the selectors were more impressed by the more
spectacular bowling of those with more pace. It is fair to say,
however, that he appeared less effective in his Test appearances
- his 18 wickets were uncharacteristically expensive. He toured
India in 1951-52, and despite being the top-wicket taker on tour,
was not selected for the Tests. His best performance in Tests was
in the 1963 Lord's Test where we took 7 wickets - but his role in
that thrilling match will be best remembered for his last-over
run out that brought the injured Cowdrey in to see out the draw.
He bowled more balls and took more wickets for Hampshire than
anyone else before or since. His best bowling of 9/30 was
achieved against Warwickshire in 1960, and he took 9 wickets in
an innings three more times. In 1955 he took 8 Somerset wickets
for just 4 runs, his full figures being 11.1-7-4-8 (he took 6/25
in the 2nd innings for his best match figures of 14/29). Against
Leicestershire in 1950 he produced the astonishing sequence
w.w.ww..w - five wickets in 9 balls (not including a hat-trick,
one of the few bowling feats to elude him in his career).
Born in Tormoden on the Lancashire - Yorkshire border, he came to
the notice of Hampshire when playing Services cricket after the
war. Recruited as a batsman who bowled occasional leg-spin, he
was asked to try his hand at pace bowling as Hampshire
desperately sought opening bowlers. He took 21 wickets in his
first season, nearly did the double in his second (taking 100
wickets), and thereafter his bowling went from strength to
strength as his batting declined. His method was text-book- a 12
step run led to a side-one effortless delivery with the arm high.
He rarely strove for pace- although he was faster than he looked
- and bowled straight, and to a good length. Scoring runs against
him involved risk - if the ball was missed, it was more than
likely to hit the stumps. He originally bowled mostly in-swing,
but soon developed an out-swinger; both deliveries swung late,
and moved just enough to catch the edge. Added to movement in the
air was the ability to make the ball deviate off the seam, a leg
cutter, a clever yorker, and a slower ball that was spun like an
off-break. A tireless worker, he was devastating in conditions
that suited him, but would bowl all day without giving away a
thing on batsman's wickets.
After retirement from active cricket he went first to Canford
School in Dorset as coach and groundsman, where he retired in
1990. He had a brief spell as a first-class umpire in 1979.
A quiet man, much liked by his team-mates and opponents, he was a
cricketer's cricketer, who commanded the utmost respect from
those who played against him (Dave Liverman, 2002)
Last Updated: Monday, 29-Jul-2002 23:17:18 GMT
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